Astorino vetoes universal design

A compromise between the Board of Legislators and County Executive Rob Astorino appears to have gone down the toilet.

Astorino today vetoed a law over design standards for the county’s affordable housing units.

At issue are the bathrooms and whether or not to require one or all in any respective units to include design features for the disabled and senior citizens.

In a letter dated July 22, Astorino called on the board to rewrite to language. It’s unclear if it was rejected on a technicality or that the board sent out the wrong wording for signature.

When a law was unanimously passed on July 11, it represented a compromise between the two branches: It had been negotiated over months when the board and administration agreed to require that 50 percent of all new affordable housing units funded by the county incorporate universal designs features that include wider doorways and hallways, accessible entrances without steps, grab bars, open space, lower light switches and other design specs.

Universal design is an architectural concept that espouses construction of units that are accessible to people with or without disabilities.

Correspondence from the federal housing monitor, James Johnson, indicated that imposing such designs on all bathrooms — rather than one per unit — could “impose structural limits on the ability of developers to provide affordable housing.”

It would also not be ideal for families with young children who would prefer bathtubs over showers, he wrote.

Astorino had initially called for 15 percent of new building to include universal design, in part because it’s more expensive, while the board wanted 100 percent. But they eventually agreed to 50 percent.

No word yet from the county board as to what they will do — override or re-write.